Apr 13

University should be like…

Now, in my 9th semester at university and close to the finish line, it all starts to make sense! Even I can contribute to society with insights from research and – most importantly – studying can be delighting. Sadly, most students seem to attend seminars and lectures just for the sake of credit points.

I just started a new job at university. It was offered to me, because of a good grade in an oral exam. Fortunately, I can keep my job at academics because the effort, I’ll have to put into the new job, will only take about half a day plus two hours of meeting every week.

Luckily, I got the opportunity to write my Master thesis in the same field of research. This means, I’ll contribute to the dissertation by helping to evaluate the given material. At the same time, these results are available to me, to write an own thesis. Clearly, a win-win situation.

The research group includes three persons; a fellow student, who was part of the oral exam group, our lecturer, who is writing his dissertation, and me. Our first meeting was meant to cover an introduction to the subject and main methodical aspects. We’ve discussed a text and the structure of the work. It was very effective and enjoyable at the same time since the three of us shared ideas, knowledge and thoughts of the best way to approach the topic. Also, the process of asking questions on the one hand, and explaining ones understanding of a theory, or ones idea in other words on the other hand, helps to immerse further into the topic.

I find this kind of studying very appealing as it is lively and the exchange of information is of a high value. Researching and thesis writing on ones own can be exhausting and tedious; the necessary concentration drops easily. Naturally, many students tend to procrastinate and occupy with things that lead to immediate success; clean the flat for instance. Also things, which occupy time without absorbing too much brain activity are favorable; i.e. facebook, of course. I would appreciate, if uni would be more like this research group.

More quality time in group works on a specific topic - university should be like this!

Apr 3

The discourse on Frost’s and Angelou’s inaugural poems – an exemplary approach

1. Introduction

The first poet on an inaugural stage was Robert Frost in 1961, who performed at the inauguration of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

In January 1993, Maya Angelou read a poem at the inauguration ceremony of William Jefferson Clinton. Thirty-two years later, she was the second poet to recite an own work on this historical event.

The discourse about Angelou, a “black woman” standing in the place of a “white man” was delicate. “ … [C]ommentators inevitably compared Angelou’s role as inaugural poet to the role of Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration.” (Burr 2002: 428) Earlier it had been hard to imagine that anyone else than a white man could fulfill this role. Naturally, the poets represented gender and racial identities and were, for that reason, chosen on purpose.

Angelou’s “On the Pulse of Morning” can be seen as a respond to Frost’s poem. Also Clinton’s choice to ask Angelou can be interpreted as an act of identity and therefore as a statement of his politics.

The content of this term paper is constructed as follows: First, I will give basic insight of the situation and its significance in public context. Afterwards two major parts follow. On the one hand, I will analyze Frost on the inaugural stage regarding his poem; the reason why he was chosen, as well as his performance and the public reception. On the other hand I will analyze these four aspects concerning Angelou on the inaugural stage. The most substantial aspects and remarks are summed up in the conclusion.

This will be done on the basis of three academic essays, five newspaper articles regarding the public debate on these occasions, and the poems.

My work intends to cover many levels including the analysis of the poems, the context, the reception of the media. All these areas are relevant and will exemplary be approached with regard to cultural context. I do not claim to cover all aspects entirely but will give an exemplary insight on the discourse.

Continue reading »

Feb 13

Bag Game

Timing: 10 minutes

In the end of a lesson the students should have a more playful task. The bag game is meant to encourage pupils and draw their interest to the task. The task itself should be motivating as the students play a game. This task can include the practicing of modals as well as it can enhance the use of describing vocabulary, i.e. adjectives.

INSTRUCTIONS:

“What could be in the bag? You may not look inside, yet. Guess the things by touching and explain them by using the modals we’ve just learned. The words on the board might help you.
Concentrate on your degree of certainty by guessing. Are you a 100% sure, then you do not have to use modals at all and you can say: “This is XY.” If you are about 90% sure but can’t tell for sure, use must, etc. …”

I’VE PUT THESE THINGS IN THE BAG:

  • lipstick
  • contact lenses box
  • face cream/lotion
  • eyeshadow base/make-up
  • cube/dice
  • battery
  • little bag/sack
  • paintbrush
  • watch
  • oyster card (public transport)
  • gift ribbon
  • ribbon/bow
  • cord flower
  • dried orange slice
  • box of dental floss
  • clothespin/clothes peg
  • sachet of baking powder
  • barrette/hairslide
  • video cassette
  • can of magnesium
  • leather cup for dice
Feb 8

Picture Presentation

This activity can be used for teaching grammar points, vocabulary, or practice speaking in general. Get your students speaking and form sentences. The idea is taken from “Action Plan for Teachers – a guide to teaching English” by Callum Robertsen and Richard Acklam (2000):

“Take a picture of a man or a woman from a magazine or newspaper or even draw one yourself. Pin it up on the board so that all of the students can see it. Ask the students to build up an imaginary life history for this person. To do this task you can ask them questions – ask them what the person’s name is, how old they are, where do they live? what do they do? Ask about hobbies, children, marriage and pets. Remember that the more unusual the life history is, the more interested students will be. So encourage them to use their imaginations.

Write up their answers on the board.

Now use the words that you’ve got on the board to focus on the language.

Get a student to try to make a sentence using words from the board.”

Feb 8

Ball Game

You can start your lesson by revising a topic or introducing a new one with the ball game. This idea is taken from “Action Plan for Teachers – a guide to teaching English” by Callum Robertsen and Richard Acklam (2000).

“Throw the ball to a student and say the infinitive of a verb. When the student catches the ball he or she should say the past participle and then throw the ball back to you. Continue for a short time in this way until you’ve been through all the irregular verbs that you want to practice. This activity will have engaged the students and got them using some of the language that comes up later in the lesson.”

Of course this activity can be alternated with different grammar points, vocabulary practices, …

Feb 8

Warmers for starting a lesson

Starting a lesson should always be motivating for the pupils. A short activity at the beginning of a lesson is called ‘warmer’. It is advisable to have a short revision of the output of the last lesson/s. Also, you can introduce a new topic with your warmer. The activity is meant to draw the interest and attention of your students. According to the “Action Plan for Teachers – a guide to teaching English” by Callum Robertsen and Richard Acklam (2000) the main features of a warmer are:

  • A warmer should be an interesting activity to encourage the students to use English.
  • Warmers are meant to be short activities, they should not be a dominant part of the lesson.
  • Warmer activities do not necessarily have to be connected with the target language of the lesson. It is possible to adapt many activities to suit your teaching point – but the main purpose of warmers is to get the students ready to study and work in English.
  • Warmers can often be adapted to provide revision, giving the students an opportunity to use previously studied language.

The ball game or the picture presentation is an exemplary warmer.

Feb 6

Lesson plan on modals for 8th graders

In my seminar on Cognitive Grammar we had to plan and teach a lesson of 45 minutes on a grammar point with the method of cognitive grammar in pairs. This means to teach grammar in a way that allows pupils to get the most important points intuitively. They can figure out grammar theories by working on tasks which make them use i.e. the future. The lesson can also include frontal teaching in which the teacher speaks to the pupils trying to include a lot of a specific grammar. We decided to teach a lesson on modals considered to be appropriate for 8th graders.
In the beginning I said 17 sentences which included modals. Continue reading »